1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a sliding bolt and bolt carrier assembly for feeding cartridges into the barrel breech of a repeating type firearm such as a semi-automatic or automatic rifle. The bolt assembly also includes an improved arrangement for releasably retaining the firing pin, and a stop mechanism is associated with the bolt carrier to indicate when the cartridge magazine is empty.
2. Background
Semi-automatic and automatic repeating firearms are typically provided with a bolt assembly which includes a bolt carrier slidable with respect to the breech bolt to provide for a locking and unlocking action of the bolt with respect to the barrel breech in the loading and extraction of cartridges. The proper feeding of a cartridge from a magazine during the action of the bolt and bolt carrier assembly to extract a spent cartridge and load a fresh cartridge into the breech has presented several problems to the art worker in regard to the provision of a mechanism which will unerringly feed a fresh cartridge from the magazine into proper position in the barrel chamber prior to locking the bolt and firing the projectile. The action of the bolt to extract and load a fresh cartridge must, of course, be reliable, particularly in regard to semi-automatic and automatic weapons.
One problem of longstanding with prior art repeating firearms pertains to the tendency for the cartridge in position to be next inserted into the barrel chamber to cock or jam during the movement of the bolt and bolt carrier to extract a spent cartridge and load a fresh cartridge into the chamber. This problem is particularly difficult to overcome wherein the bolt and bolt carrier move relative to each other because of the clearance provided between the two parts which will allow unwanted movement of the cartridge in position to be loaded into the breech into an intermediate skewed position which may result in jamming of the cartridge under the bolt to thereby prevent completion of the extracting and loading action of the bolt.
Although various types of retractable bolt mechanisms have been developed for repeating firearms, the type of action which provides for relative movement between a bolt carrier member and a locking bolt member has not been developed which is completely reliable and provides for feeding a fresh cartridge unerringly into the empty barrel chamber. This problem is particularly actue with firearms adapted to feed cartridges from a spring loaded, so called clip type magazine.
Another problem associated with bolt assemblies for semi-automatic and automatic firearms pertains to the retention of the firing pin in the bolt by a suitable mechanism which may be locked to prevent removal of the firing pin and which may be unlocked to permit removal of the firing pin from the bolt without loss of the retention mechanism itself. This is particularly important during field disassembly and cleaning or repair in that the parts normally associated with retaining the firing pin in the bolt are relatively small and easily lost.
The present invention overcomes several problems, including those discussed above, associated with repeating type firearms such as semi-automatic and automatic rifles.